Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible…

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction…

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

“I still don’t see why we couldn’t sleep in that cave,”
Mari said as MacRieve led her out into the night.
“Because my cave’s better than their cave.”

My Thoughts

I’ve read the first 8 installments of the Immortals After Dark series, and so far, Bowen and Mariketa’s book is my favorite.

Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Nightoverlaps the final events of the Talisman’s Hie, from Bowen and Mariketa’s perspective. Bowen traps Mariketa and other immortals in a tomb in the jungle of Guatemala, but Mariketa manages to cast a spell on him before he leaves her there.

As you know from No Rest for the Wicked, Bowen loses the Hie. As his injuries are not healing because of Mariketa’s spell, and the House of Witches threatens the whole Lore with a war because of the missing Mariketa, Bowen soon is on his way back to the jungle to free her.

It is a very exciting part of the series. The world of the Lore is revealed in more details: its inhabitants, rules, myths, and relations. The story represents deep emotions, hard choices, incredible twists, destiny, prophecy, magic, passion, adorable characters, and sparkling dialogues.

I loved Bowen and Mariketa’s (not only) verbal archness with each other. Mariketa is fated to Bowen, and he is also unique for her, because he fulfills the prophecy given to Mariketa. He is a catalyst for her magic, and able to control her power and protect Mariketa, even from herself.

The ending is completely astonishing. I was so engaged in the action of the story, as Bowen and Mariketa continually fight with each other, save each other, and fight for each other, that I simply didn’t see what was coming, and I was just shocked by the limitless cruelty and evil of the antagonist.

“All at once Mari understood why people fought losing battles—because if you want something badly enough, you can’t do anything else but fight for it.”

Let’s see the cast…

Meet Bowen, the shameless, tricksy wolf… He is vehement, ferocious, sometimes surly, but passionate and very gentle. He suffers from his guilt and pain because of the death of his mate, Mariah; struggles with his several centuries-old prejudices toward witches, and his doubt whether he is given another mate.

He was so… wolfy. So teasing. And Mari realized this was kind of fun. She half-expected him to play-trip her and start nipping at her ears. And she suspected she’d love it.

Meet Mariketa, the wee, bloody witch… She is a brave, sensual, devious, and very young woman with infinite but volatile power and strong principles. I admire her bravery, and forgiving attitude.

Mari is supposed to have powers from all fives castes of witches – the powers of a warrior, conjurer, seeress, enchantress, and healer.

Hilarious secondary characters

Rydstrom, the enigmatic, cunning demon king…

Nïx, the queer, crazed soothsayer… “Shame a beauty like that is so soft in the head,” says Rydstrom about her.

Carrow, Mariketa’s best friend, “the coven bad girl”, who is almost as crazy as Nïx:

“Fierce Carrow was supposed to have entered the Hie with Mari, but then she got arrested at the last Mardi Gras for public indecency again.”

Sweet happy end

“So that’s how we’re tae play this, wife?” Bowen said, when her snowball beaned him squarely in the face. He shook the snow from him in that wolfy way she loved. “You challenge a master at your own peril and have been duly warned.”She wiggled her gloved fingers at him. “Bring it on, Father Time.”But her eyes widened as he began piling up the biggest snowball she’d ever seen. She took off, darting back toward the lodge.Playing in the snow—what an incredible way to end an already wonderful day.

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.